Design and operation of a combustion system in a rotary machine such as a gas turbine engine can be complex. To design and operate such engines, conventional models can be used to predict performance parameters for various engine components including the static and dynamic states of the engine. An example of a dynamic state of a gas turbine engine is the thermal energy stored in a component of the gas turbine engine, such as the rotor, blade, or casing. In some instances, conventional models require the initialization of one or more performance parameters prior to generating a prediction of other performance parameters.
For instance, a typical approach can be to initialize a thermal state for a model by selecting a point in time when heat flux is approximately zero, or when the gas turbine engine is thermally stable. Practical experience can indicate that approximately 30-60 minutes of operation at a predetermined load setting may be needed to achieve thermal stability or equilibrium. In any instance, if the true dynamic state is not accurately initialized, there may be residual errors in the modeling of other performance parameters. Depending on the amount of such errors, these errors may take a corresponding amount of time to decay during operation of the model and the engine.
Thus, there is a need for adaptive control systems and methods. There is yet a further need for adaptive systems and methods wherein the control system can update itself in real-time. There is also a need for adaptive systems and methods that can be automated using a computer. Furthermore, there is a need for adaptive control systems and methods for controlling gas turbine engines, such as the gas turbine engines in an aircraft engine, power plant, marine propulsion, or industrial application.